The present invention relates in general to a bulk container, and more particularly to a bulk material container having a flexible liner.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,227, to Coleman issued on Oct. 2, 1990, for Bulk Material Container With A Flexible Liner, there is disclosed a bulk material container in which strings are fixedly secured to a fitting at the top of the flexible liner. The strings are clamped or pressed between a manhole cover and a flange along the neck of a shell of the container. In another embodiment, a sleeve of the flexible liner is clamped or pressed between the manhole cover and a flange along the neck of the shell surrounding the manhole.
Also disclosed in said U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,227 is a bottom outlet fitting for the container which has a flange. The flange is adapted to form a fluid tight seal with a discharge fitting at the bottom of the container. The bottom outlet fitting is disposed in threaded engagement with a threaded sleeve. Continued movement of the threaded sleeve within the bottom outlet fitting urges the flange of the bottom outlet fitting into sealing engagement with the discharge fitting. A sealing ring is disposed between the bottom outlet fitting and the threaded sleeve. Continued movement of the threaded sleeve within the bottom outlet fitting compresses the sealing ring for forming a seal between the bottom outlet fitting and the sleeve.
The above disclosure has also been made in U.S. Pat. No. No. 4,996,760, to Coleman, issued on Mar. 5, 1991, for Bulk Material Container With A Flexible Liner and in pending application, Ser. No. 07/533,098, filed on Jun. 4, 1990, by Clarence B. Coleman for Bulk Material Container With A Flexible Liner and in pending application, Ser. No. 694,384, filed on May 1, 1991, for A Bulk Material Container With A Flexible Liner. The present application, the cited pending applications and the cited patents have a common assignee.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,692, to Croley, issued on May 14, 1985, for Disposable Assembly For Liquids Or Semi-Liquids In Bulk, there is disclosed a disposable container of fiberboard. A plastic flexible bag containing material to be dispensed is disposed in the plastic bag. The plastic bag includes a neck. For holding the plastic bag in the upright position, the neck of the bag is clamped by rings against an upper stationary wall fixed to the shell of the container. The fixed wall of the shell has a suitable opening to receive the neck of the flexible bag.
In my copending applications, Ser. Nos. 07/235,979 and 07/705,954 filed, respectively, on Aug. 25, 1988, and on May 28, 1991, for Container With Inflatable Vessel For Controlling Flow Of Liquid Or Viscous Material, there is disclosed a collapsible plastic vessel containing a product to be dispensed. The plastic bag includes a neck that extends through the cover of the bulk material container. During the dispensing of the product, the neck of the plastic vessel is in close fit relation with a product dispensing tube. While the shipping plug is inserted in the neck of the plastic vessel, a retainer clip holds the neck of the plastic vessel in an upright position.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,901, to Sands, issued on Dec. 24, 1968, for Reusable Pressurized Dispensing Device discloses a valve body with an annular detent and a ring for clamping a bag containing liquid to be dispensed secured at the top of the container.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,265,254, to Carter et al., issued on Aug. 9, 1966, for Stacked Barrels Containing Collapsible Bags discloses a collapsible bag with a neck which is secured to the central portion of a removable cap.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,637, to Runciman, issued on Jul. 28, 1981, for Constant Feed Device, there is disclosed a membrane secured at its lower end to a base.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,725, to Voorhees, issued on Mar. 12, 1968, for Collapsible Container Modified, there is disclosed a flexible wall fastened to a base pan. The flexible wall is disposed between the pan surface and a flange.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,628, to Nittel, issued on May 6, 1986, for Resilient Inner Liner For Lining Of Transport Or Storage Containers, there is disclosed a liner for a container. The liner is installed through a bottom opening of the container. A string or wire is fastened at the upper end of the liner to pull the liner to an upper opening of the container. A feed pipe is bonded to the lower end of the container. A lower flange on the feed pipe abuts against the wall defining the opening at the lower end of the container.
The U.S. Pat. No. 2,074,959, to Guest, issued on Mar. 23, 1937, for Fuel Tank Gauge, discloses bellows. The upper end of the bellows is connected to the underside of a removable top.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,138, to Bull, issued on Feb. 15, 1966, for Dispensing Container, there is disclosed a plastic bag secured to the underside of a lid.